Zosimus the Hermit

The Holy martyrZosimus the Hermit was an anchorite monk during the time of the persecution of emperor Diocletian in the late third century, who joined after his release from prison with the prison warden Athanasius to live out their lives together as hermits. St. Zosimus is commemorated on January 4 with St. Athanasius.

The monk Zosimus, who was from Cilicia, had been seized and subjected to fierce torture for his Faith. Athanasius, a prison warden, witnessed the torture of the Zosimus. Seeing him unharmed after the torture, Athanasius came to believe in Christ and was baptized.

When Zosimus was released, Athanasius joined with him and traveled into the wilderness. There, they found a crevice in a mountain in Cilicia that became their shelter, and where they lived as hermits until their deaths.